Typhlocharis passosi Serrano and Aguiar

Serrano, Artur R. M., Aguiar, Carlos A. S. & Proença, Sónia J. R., 2005, Two New Species Of Typhlocharis Dieck Of The Gomezi Species Group From Portugal (Coleoptera: Carabidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 59 (2), pp. 239-249 : 240-248

Typhlocharis passosi Serrano and Aguiar , new species

( Figs. 1, 3a–b, 4a–b, 5a, Map Fig. 6)

Diagnosis. Anophthalmous, body parallel, depressed and brownish-yellow; integument microreticulate, with scattered pubescence. Elytron with seven (4 þ 3) marginal umbilicate setae; apical edge with one tooth near apex of seventh stria (males and females), sutural one absent. Hind trochanters rounded in both sexes. Abdominal male sternum II with a median tubercle near the posterior margin, abdominal female sternum II with one deep posteriolateral fovea on each side. Aedeagus ( Figs. 3 a–b) with median lobe sickle-shaped, basal lamina markedly arcuate; internal sac in central area with one arciform sclerite followed apically by fusiform membrane.

Description. Length of holotype: 1.3 mm. Length of paratypes: 1.1–1.3 mm (males), 1.2–1.5 mm (females). Head ( Figs. 1a–b) robust, more or less as long as wide [length: 0.25–0.32 mm (males) and 0.26–0.32 mm (females), width: 0.26–0.31 mm (males) and 0.25–0.32 mm (females)] with hexagonal microsculpture and slightly depressed in the middle of the frons; anterior margin of clypeus with one strong median tooth; vertex with transverse microsculpture that is arranged in parallel ridges to form a file (pars stridens) in the area below the anterior margin of pronotum ( Fig. 4a). Cephalic chaetotaxy (large setae): labrum with three pairs of setae (those on sides longer), one pair on sides of clypeus and two pairs close to frontal sulcus, a pair of supraocular setae present over each eye and two-three posterior pairs of setae between vertex and lateral carinae. Antennae moniliform and mouth-parts ( Fig. 1b) with no special features; as for other members of the genus. Pronotum quadrangular ( Fig. 1c), as long as wide [length: 0.30–0.37 mm (males) and 0.29–0.40 mm (females), width: 0.30–0.35 mm (males) and 0.29–0.36 mm (females)], slightly narrowed towards posterior angles which are faintly marked; disk flattened, with one central and two lateral slight sulci; anterior margin right; lateral margins with two or three minor denticles near the posterior angles; disk slightly depressed near the posterior margin, this slightly expanded near the posterior angles. Chaetotaxy: three longitudinal series of minute setae between midline and lateral margins directed anteriad and inward; one anterior seta on each side in anterior quarter, one posterior seta on hind angle; five-six pairs of setae near the anterior margin. Elytra ( Fig. 1d) almost twice longer than wide [length: 0.61–0.70 mm (males) and 0.61–0.77 mm (females), width: 0.32– 0.36 mm (males) and 0.32–0.38 mm (females)], parallel and oval posteriorly, with a slightly longitudinal carinae at the beginning of seventh stria; more or less depressed on the disk; transverse scutellar organ present near the beginning of suture; scutellar region strongly punctured; humeral angles rounded, with a tooth in the beginning of carinae; lateral margins serrate, teeth decreasing in size posteriorly; apical margin ( Fig. 1e) with one tooth coinciding with end of seventh stria, without tooth at sutural angles. Chaetotaxy: part of the pubescence of the disk arranged in four lines, these short setae are erect and slightly directed anteriad; umbilicate series with four setae in the front group and three in the hind group (4 þ 3) ( Fig. 1e). Legs with robust femora, tibiae dilated distally in both sexes; median and hind tibiae of males with two or three teeth at internal apical angle, much more developed in the latter ( Fig. 4b); trochanters of third pair round, similar in both sexes ( Figs. 1g –h), protarsus with segments not dilated. Abdominal sternum II of males with one median tubercle near the posterior margin ( Fig. 1g), females with one deep posteriolateral fovea on each side ( Fig. 1h). Male genitalia ( Figs. 3a–b) in lateral aspect ( Fig. 3a) with median lobe sickle-shaped, basal lamina markedly arcuate; median lobe in dorsal aspect ( Fig. 3b) with apex more or less thin, bent to the left; internal sac in central area with one arciform sclerite followed apically by fusiform membrane ( Fig. 3a); parameres bisetulose apically, lateral aspect of left paramere as in Fig. 3a. Female genitalia ( Fig. 5a) with ovipositor gonocoxites weakly sclerotized, each one in ventral aspect with one apical seta and one medium seta; internal genital tract with spermathecal duct short and spermatheca spheroid.

b) median lobe (dorsal view); Typhlocharis fozcoaensis . c) median lobe and left paramere (lateral view); d) median lobe (dorsal view).

Type Series. Holotype #: Portugal, Alvados (Serra d’Aire e Candeeiros) (UTM: 29SND1976), 30.I.2002 . Paratypes: 22 ## and 38 $$ (2 ## and 2 $$ gold coated), same locality and date; Carvalhal (UTM: 29SND0677), 2 ## and 5 $$ (1 # and 2 $$ gold coated), 6.V.2003; Sourões (Serra d’Aire e Candeeiros) (UTM: 29SND1065), 5 ## and 6 $$; Teira (Serra d’Aire e Candeeiros) (UTM: 29SND0661), 6 ## and 3 $$ . Holotype and paratypes deposited in the collection of the senior author, Department of Animal Biology (Lisbon) .

Etymology. This new species is dedicated in modest homage to the memory of the late Eng8 Passos de Carvalho, an eminent Portuguese applied entomologist (agriculture) from Estação Agronómica Nacional de Oeiras, who was a great friend and a reference for the senior author.

Affinities. The new species belongs to the gomezi group based on the presence of apical teeth of the second and third tibiae (males) and a median tooth of the clypeus. However, it is differentiated within the gomezi group by the presence of a median tubercle in sternum II (males) near the posterior margin ( Fig. 1g). Some of the other species belonging to Typhlocharis also present this interesting type of sexual dimorphism (e.g., T. monasticus Zaballos and Wrase , T. peregrinus Zaballos and Wrase , and T. navaricus Zaballos and Wrase ) (Zaballos and Wrase 1998). However, the phylogenetic importance of this structure is uncertain because it also occurs in species of the monasticus and outereloi groups (sensu Zaballos and Ruiz-Tapiador 1996; Zaballos and Wrase 1998). Within the gomezi species group, only T. wrasei Zaballos and Farinós and the new species present a similar form of the median lobe of the aedeagus in lateral view. Differences in the conformation of the apex of the median lobe, left paramere and internal sac separate T. passosi from all of the other species belonging to this group. The pattern of the umbilicate series of the elytra (4 þ 3) found in the new species is only similar to the one found in T. gomezi Zaballos. All the other known species of the gomezi group present a pattern of 4 þ 2, including T. fozcoaensis n. sp. (see next description). This fact suggests that small species of Typhlocharis , such as those belonging to this group, manifest a tendency to diminish the number of setae within the posterior group of the umbilicate series. The rounded-shape of the hind trochanters of the new species and the number of foveae (one) present in abdominal sternum II are also found in T. gomezi . The spermatheca of Typhlocharis passosi has a similar form (spheroid) to that found on the other members of the gomezi group, but the number of apical gonocoxite setae is different (one vs. two). With the data available at the moment it is very difficult to determine the real affinities of T. passosi . Taking into account the analyzed characters, the new species seems to have a close relationship with T. wrasei and T. gomezi .

Typhlocharis fozcoaensis Serrano and Aguiar , new species ( Figs. 2, 3c–d, 4c–d, 5b, Map Fig. 6)

Diagnosis. Anophthalmous, body parallel, depressed and brown; integument microreticulate, with scattered pubescence. Elytron with six (4 þ 2) marginal umbilicate setae; apical edge with two pairs of teeth, one sutural and other at the apex of the seventh stria (males and females). Hind trochanters without sexual dimorphism. Abdominal male sternum II without any special structure, abdominal female sterna II and III with one posteriolateral fovea and one anterolateral fovea in each side, respectively. Aedeagus ( Figs. 3c–d) with median lobe sickle-shaped, but the apex erect, basal lamina markedly arcuate; internal sac in central area with one circled sclerite.

Description. Length of holotype: 1.4 mm. Length of paratypes: 1.3–1.4 mm (males and females). Head ( Fig. 2a–b) as long as wide [length: 0.27–0.30 mm (males) and 0.26–0.29 (females), width: 0.29–0.30 mm (males) and 0.29–0.30 mm (females)] with hexagonal microsculpture and faintly depressed in the middle of the frons; clypeus with one strong median tooth in anterior margin; vertex with transversal microsculpture, forming a file of parallel ridges (pars stridens) in the area bellow the anterior margin of pronotum ( Fig. 4c). Cephalic chaetotaxy (large setae): labrum with three pairs of setae (those on sides longer), one pair on sides of clypeus and two pairs close to frontal sulcus, two pairs of supraocular setae (anterior and posterior) and two-three pairs of setae on the posterior region between vertex and lateral carinae. Antennae moniliform and mouth-parts ( Fig. 2b) with no special features, as for other members of the genus. Pronotum quadrangular ( Fig. 2c), slightly longer (1.1–1.2 times) than wide [length: 0.37–0.39 mm (males) and 0.37–0.38 (females), width: 0.31–0.34 mm (males) and 0.32–0.34 mm (females)], narrowed towards posterior angles which are slightly marked; disk depressed, with longitudinal sulci, one central and two lateral; anterior and posterior margins straights; lateral margins subparallel with two or three minor denticles near the posterior angles; disk depressed near the posterior margin. Chaetotaxy: three longitudinal series of minute setae between midline and lateral margins directed anteriad; one anterior seta on each side in anterior quarter, one posterior seta on hind angle; one seta near the anterior angles; four pairs of setae near the anterior margin. Elytra ( Fig. 2d) twice or even more longer than wide [length: 0.64–0.68 mm (males) and 0.66–0.70 mm (females), width: 0.30–0.34 mm (males) and 0.34–0.35 mm (females)], parallel and oval posteriorly, with a subtle longitudinal carinae at the beginning of seventh stria; flattened on the disk; transverse scutellar organ present near the base of suture; scutellar region strongly punctured; humeral angles well marked and rounded, with a minor tooth in the base of carinae; lateral margins serrate, teeth decreasing in size posteriorly; apical margin ( Fig. 2f) dentate in the sutural angles and with one tooth coinciding with end of seventh stria (males and females). Chaetotaxy: part of the pubescence of the disk is arranged in three lines, these setae are erect and slightly directed anteriad; umbilicate series with four setae in the front group and two setae in the hind group (4 þ 2) ( Fig. 2e). Legs with robust femora, tibiae dilated distally in both sexes; median and hind tibiae of males with one or two teeth at internal apical angle, much more developed in the latter ( Fig. 4d); trochanters of third pair round-shaped, similar in both sexes ( Figs. 2g –h), protarsus with segments not dilated. Abdominal sternum II of males without a median tubercle near the posterior margin ( Fig. 2g); females with deep foveae, one posteriolateral pair in the abdominal sternum II and one anterolateral pair in the sternum III, respectively ( Fig. 2h). Male genitalia ( Figs. 3c–d) in lateral aspect ( Fig. 3c) with median lobe sickle-shaped, but with apex erect, basal lamina markedly arcuate; median lobe in dorsal aspect ( Fig. 3d) with apex largely rounded, bent to the left; internal sac in central area with one circular sclerite ( Fig. 3a); parameres bisetulose apically, lateral aspect of left paramere as in Fig. 3c. Female genitalia ( Fig. 5b) with ovipositor gonocoxites weakly sclerotized, each one in ventral aspect with one apical seta and one medium seta; internal genital tract with spermathecal duct short and spermatheca spheroid, spermathecal gland long, with proximal region membranous and apical region more or less sclerotized.

Type Series. Holotype #: Portugal, Vila Nova de Foz Côa (UTM: 29TPF5343), 5.III.2003 . Paratypes: 2 ## and 3 $$ (1 # and 2 $$ gold coated), same locality and date. Holotype and paratypes deposited in the collection of the senior author, Department of Animal Biology (Lisbon) .

Etymology. The name of the new species is the latinized adjectival from the composition of the last two names of the village (Vila Nova de Foz Côa) where the specimens have been found.

Affinities. This new species also belongs to the gomezi group. It is well differentiated from the other species of this group by the presence of one anterolateral foveae on each side of the abdominal female sternum III ( Fig. 2h). Like the other species belonging to the gomezi group with the exception of T. passosi , the abdominal male sternum II of this species does not present a median tubercle near the posterior margin. Within this group, only T. gomezi Zaballos presents an aedeagus with a similar form of the internal sac of the median lobe in lateral view. Particular features related with the forms of the median lobe, the left paramere and the internal sac easily separate the new species from all the others of the same group. The pattern of umbilicate series of elytra (4 þ 2) is similar to the one found on T. wrasei Zaballos and Farinós and T. hiekei Zaballos and Farinós. The rounded-shape of the hind trochanters of the new species cluster the species T. fozcoaensis , T. gomezi and T. passosi together. The new species, as well as T. gomezi and T. hiekei , presents an identical number of foveae in the abdominal sternum II of the females (one pair). Typhlocharis fozcoaensis presents a spermatheca with a similar form (spheroid), to the ones that can be found in the other members of the gomezi group, but the number of apical gonocoxite setae is different (one vs. two). In this aspect both new species are identical. Taking into account the comparison of all analysed characters, the new species seems to have a closer relationship with T. gomezi .

As a final remark, we point out that all species of the gomezi group found until now were collected in the lusitanian massif of the Iberian Peninsula (three species in Spain and two in Portugal) ( Zaballos 1991; Zaballos and Farinós 1995; Serrano and Aguiar, this work) ( Fig. 6). However, while the Spanish assemblage is within the same region (Cáceres), the greatest distance found among species being 55 km (between T. gomezi and T. hiekei ) (Zaballos and Farinós 1995), the two Portuguese species are separeted by a greater distance (around 200 km from each other, an equal distance existing between each new species and the Spanish assemblage).